Friction Stir Welding Correction Member for Precision Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing friction stir welding apparatuses are complex and lack scalability, making it difficult to accurately weld components with varying shapes without unnecessary displacement, as they require customized guide portions and additional layers for lubrication and wear resistance.
Innovation Solution
A friction stir welding apparatus with a correction member having a contact surface parallel to the processing direction, integrated with a bearing that corrects the movement of the welding tool using an industrial robot and auxiliary support mechanism, allowing for precise alignment and movement along a predetermined direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If guide portions are added to the friction stirring stator to control welding direction, then welding precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide function is extracted from the friction stirring stator and transferred to a separate guide member. This allows the stator to maintain its original simple structure while achieving precise welding direction control through the dedicated guide member that engages with the probe's outer periphery.
Solution Approach 2:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the probe and the workpiece. This guide member features a guide surface that contacts the probe's outer periphery, mediating the directional control without requiring modifications to the probe or stator structures.
2Reliability
If lubricating film and hard alloy layer are added to the contact portion of the probe and stator, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wear and friction management function is extracted from the probe-stator contact interface and transferred to the guide member-probe interface. The guide member is designed with specific material properties and surface treatments to handle the lubrication and wear resistance requirements, simplifying the overall system by concentrating these functions in one component.
3Manufacturing precision
If the friction stir welding tool configuration is customized for each welding shape, then welding precision is improved, but adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate different probe configurations and welding shapes. The guide surface geometry can be adjusted or replaced to match different welding paths, allowing the same basic tool structure to adapt to various welding applications while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member is designed to be replaceable or adjustable, allowing the system to dynamically adapt to different welding shapes and configurations. This dynamic capability enables the same tool to perform multiple welding tasks with different geometries without requiring complete tool redesign.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables accurate welding along a predetermined direction with reduced unnecessary displacement and increased scalability, simplifying the apparatus while maintaining high precision and versatility.
Implementation Method 1
the interposed member is a bearing and the moving direction of the welding tool is corrected by bringing the bearing into contact with the contact surface
Implementation Method 2
a probe rotating at a high speed to weld the metal plates with each other
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A friction stir welding apparatus (1) has a probe (32)that is movable in a vertical direction with respect to a processing-target side surface (Ws) of a processing target member (W) and rotatable relative to the processing target member (W), a welding tool (30) having an interposed member (34) that covers a part of an outer periphery of the probe (32) and is rotatable relative to the probe(32), a mounting member (10)on which the processing target member (W) is mounted, a movement mechanism (50) having an arm (54) fitted with the welding tool (30) that can move the welding tool (30)with respect to the processing target (W) member by moving the arm (54, and a correction mechanism (20) having a correction member (22) that can correct a moving direction of the welding tool (30) so as to be matched with a predetermined processing direction (D), by bringing the interposed member into contact with the processing target member (W) when the welding tool (30) is moved with respect to the processing target member (W) by moving the arm(54), and fixed to the mounting member (10).